Self-winding clock.



C. W. WAGNER.

SELF WINDING CLOCK. APPLIOATION IILED APR.30,1908.

909,485. Patented Jan.12, 1909.

. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

G. W. WAGNER.

- SELF WINDING GLOGK.

APPLICATION FILED APR.30,1908.

Patented Jan. 12,1909.

wifn cones W5, $2

o nAvaR W. WAGNER, or DANVILLE, rENNsYLvAn A SELF-WINDING CLOCK.

T all whom it may concern.

of Danville, in the county of Montour and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a-certain new and useful 1m rovement in Self- Winding Clocks, and do ereby declare that the following a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view partly in vertical section and partly in elevation of a clock embodying my invention, the parts being shown in the positions they occupy immediately after the completion of the winding 0 eration; Fig. 2 a similar view of but a portlon of the clock showin the. osition of the parts at the in stant o the c osing of the circuit immediately revious to the winding operation; .Fig. 3 a etail view in section on the line 3-.3 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 a detail view in perspective of I the center'arbor arm and the armature arm.

My invention relates to electrically operated self-winding clocks in which a circuit is periodically closed by the running down of the motor spring in order that a ma net may be energized to automatically p ace the motor spring under stress or tension to continue the operation of the clock, and my invention more articularly relates to the arrangement of t e circuit and the circuit closing and opening devices, to the end that the number of parts of the mechanism may be reduced so as both to cheapen the cost of manufacture and. render the operation of the clock certain or reliable.

As the time train of the clock which I have selected to illustrate an embodiment of my invention is of ordinary construction, no description of it is necessary beyond stating that it is supported by two metal frame plates 10, preferably of brass, whichiare se-- Y on the center arbor 14 of the time train so that it may be turned on such arbor independently thereof in one direction, and which carries a pawl 15 that engages a ratchet wheel 16 mounted on the center arbor, sothat the pull of the spring is made eifective to rotate the center arbor, and thus to actuate the time train. The loose connection between,

- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 30, 1908. Serial No. $30,215.

, the Be it known that I, GLEAVER W. WAGNER,

arm 13 and the arboriby which the arm may be moved in one direction inde endently Patented Jan. 1.2, 1909.-

of the arbor, is for the purpose 0 enabling the stretching of the spring, or the placing of it under increased tension, by such movement of the arm 13. This movement of the arm to automatically place the spring under stress or tension is produced by the engagement with the under side thereof of an arm 17 which is attached to and projects from an armature 18 of an electro-magnet 19 which is attached to and supported in a vertical position with its pole pieces uppermost, by the frame base 11.

The armature is pivotally supported by means of a'rock shaft 20 that is journaled atits opposite ends in arms or brackets 21 attac'he to the respective frame plates so that when the magnet is energized, the armature will rock downward and its arm 17 will rock upward, and engaging the under side of the arm 13 will swing the latter'u ward, causing the pawl 15 thereof to slip ackward over the teeth of the ratchet wheel, and lengthening the motor spring, the arm being retained at the point to which itis moved by the engagement of the pawl with a ratchet tooth, and such engagement of the pawl and the ratchet tooth being the means by which the power of the spring is transmitted to the center arbor and thus to the time train. The engaging surfaces of the two arms 13 and17, as-is common in this art, and in numerous other arts, are convexedly rounded, so as, in efiect, to constitute the engaging surfaces of two gear teeth.

I utilize the armature arm 17 .as one ter minal, or make it one of the contacts of the circuit by which the magnet is energized and deenergized, and l utilize the arbor supported arm 13 as the other terminal, or constitute it the other contact, and by this means,

'1' not only reduce the number of parts of the mechanism, but avoid the use of delicate pa ts apt to be easily deranged, for said two arms can be made comparatively heavy, and. I get com aratively extended andgood'surfaces for e ectric'a'l contact. Itis, of course, necessary to automatically break the circuit when the limit 'of movement of the sprin by means of the armature is reached, and

accomplish this in a' very simple manner,

merely-by providing the extrennt of the. armature arm 17 with a covering 0 insulatii material 22, which when the arbor-supports. arm 13 is raised to the desired extent; consti- 'tutes the sole contact between the two arms and thereby breaks the circuit, and the magnet being denergized, the armature is released. The armature when released rocked upward. and its aim rocked downward by means of a flat spring 23 which at one end is secured between the armature arm 17 and the armature rock shaft 20 and at its other end bears against the under side of a block 24 of insulating material on. a post that is fastened to one of the frame plates, and WAlCll block constitutes a stop to limit the downward movement of the armature arm by being ongaged thereby. The block 2% is used because it is supported from one of the frame plates and l utilize the latter as a part of the circuit. For this purpose one terminal of the winding of the electric-magnet is electrically connected to said frame plate, the

other terminal thereof being connected by an insulated wire to abinding post 25 which is attached to a bar or strip 26 of non-com ducting liber or other insulating material, which is secured to one of the frame plates, and by means of which binding post an electrical connection is made with one pole of the battery or other source of electrical energy. The other pole of the battery is connected to a binding post 2? which is also attached to the strip 26 of insulating material, and from. said biiu'ling post 27 a flexible conductor .28 extends and attached. by a socket 29 electrically to the arbor-supported arm 1.3.

A body of suitable insulating material 30 is' interposed between the arm 13 and the center arbor, in order to insulate said arm from the clock frame. To supplement the contact between the arms and 1.7, l: preferably attach to the arbor-supported arm 13,

an elastic or sp'ring finger wl'iich has one end free and normally projected beyond the under surface of the arm 13, that said spring will first the armature arm 17, and bearing yieldingly but firmly against the armature arm will maize good electrical contact therewith, and the contacting surfaces will he kept bright by sli ht movement of the spring over the arm. surt are which I provide for, that is produced by the action of the an mature arm against the spring- The operation of my clock is follows: Assuming the motor spring to be fully stretched, and the magnet deenergized by the breaking of the circuit, the spring will draw the arbor supported arm 1.3 downward, thereby operatingthe time train, and when sald arm is lowered to a point where the fin- 31 touches the armature arm 13, the cir cuit will be closed through the magnet and the armature being attracted by the latter, arm 17 will be lifted, and first pressing upwa d the spring finger 31, the armature arm will engage the arborupported arm and move the latter upwarc, placing the inc- I claim is tor spring'under increased tension, which up ward movement will continue until the insulating surface on the end of the armature arm is the only portion of the armature arm which has contact with the arbor-supported arm 13, whereupon the circuit will be broken and the magnet deenergized. Vlfhen the circuit is closed, its course, starting with the binding post 25, will be from the latter through the magnet coils, thence to the base 11 and through the frame plates and the arms 21 to the armature rock shaft 20, Which is preferably of brass, thence to the armature arm 17', also preferably of brass, to. the arbor-s11 ported arm 13, and from the latter by t e flexible conductor cord 28 to the binding post 27.

It will be observed that the only pivots through which the current must pass are the journals of the armature rock shaft, and as these can be made comparatively large, there are always suflicient surfaces in contact to afford an unimpeded path for the current, so that l utilize the frame as a portion of the circuit free from any practica disadvantage. The parts of my circuit closing and opening mechanism are few, and they can readily be given ample strength, and their operation is certain. The winding or placing of the spring under tension takes place Without any interference whatever with the running of the clock.

Having thus described my invention, what 1. in a selfwvinding clock, the combina tion of an electro-magnet, its armature, an arm carried byv the armature, forming a part of the magnet circuit, a motor spring, a second arm connected therewith also forming a I part of the magnet circuit, said arms directly engaging each other and constituting electrical contacts for closing and opening the circuit, and a yielding finger carried by one of the arms and co-act'in with the other.

in a self-winding clock, the combination of a clock movement, comprising a train and frame plates, a motor spring, an arm ivoted to and insulated from one of the ar ors to which said spring is connected, an electro;' magnet having an electrical connection with the frame, an armature, a rock shaft for the armature pivoted to said frame and having electrical connection therewith, an arm carried by the armature and having electrical connection with said rock shaft, said two arms being located so that'one may engage the other, and one of saidarms having a por tion of its engaging surface of insulating material.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I havhereunto set my hand.

CLEAVER WV. WAGNER. Witnesses: I

VVALLAOE R. DUDLEY, llflARY M. HARDER. 

